Coastal Marine Biolabs Hosts Integrative Biosciences Summer Program

Source: Coastal Marine Biolabs | Fri, 13 Jun 2008, 09:38:27 EDT

2008 ARCHIVAL NEWS CONTENT

VENTURA, Calif., June 13 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Coastal Marine Biolabs announces a call for applications and community sponsorships for its integrative biosciences program summer session. The session runs from July 25 through August 3; the enrollment deadline is July 10. This intensive, nine-day program focuses on kelp forest monitoring and genetic variation in marine populations. It consists of SCUBA certification, scientific field excursions to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, comprehensive lectures, and hands-on laboratory work.

This summer session is limited to 10 people and is designed for high school juniors/seniors and undergraduate intern scholars who are interested in pursuing careers in natural sciences.

The Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary supports some of the most diverse species assemblages in the world and during the first part of the session student divers will examine the bio-geographical factors that support this diversity. Students will explore the interdependency of plant and animal species that make these underwater canopies their home.

Classroom studies will highlight various kelp forest monitoring strategies and their importance in assessing the impact of man-made and natural disturbances in ecosystem health. Emphasis will be placed on the ecological roles of certain kelp forest plant and animal taxa.

Field studies will complement classroom studies and will introduce students to kelp forest monitoring procedures modeled after those currently used by the National park Service and other state and national agencies.

Students will even have the opportunity to contribute field data to a national marine biodiversity monitoring program.

The second part of the session will bridge field and lab studies. Students will be offered the opportunity to utilize powerful genetic techniques to explore marine biodiversity. Classroom lectures will introduce students to the role that larval dispersal, recruitment, and other ecological factors play in the design of Marine Protected Areas.

As a basis to explore these issues from an applied perspective, students will extensively review the flow of genetic information in the classroom, perform web-based bioinformatics workshops and population genetics exercises. They will also utilize DNA barcoding in their biotechnology laboratory to identify genetic differences between target fish species.

Course Directors are Dr. Ralph Imondi; Dr. Linda Santschi; and Kent Smith. Guest lecturers include: Dr. Monica Medina of the School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced; Laura Francis from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary; and Dr. James Lindholm from California State University, Monterey Bay.

Tuition is $2,000 and includes room and board, SCUBA certification, gear rentals, field excursions, instructional materials and lab fees.

About Coastal Marine Biolabs Coastal Marine Biolabs is a private, non-profit educational organization that is dedicated to promoting integrative learning and technology literacy. They encourage organizations and individuals to sponsor scholarships for motivated students to participate in unique learning experiences.

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